Diascia plant named ‘Indiaimpab’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Diascia  plant named ‘Indiaimpab’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; freely flowering habit; soft pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Diascia barberae.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Indiaimpab’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Diascia plant, botanically known as Diascia barberae, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Indiaimpab’.

The new Diascia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely branching Diascia cultivars with early flowering habit, large flowers, attractive flower colors and good garden performance.

The new Diascia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Gensingen, Germany in July, 2003 of Diascia barberae ‘Pendan’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Diascia barberae identified as code number D 04 14-3, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Diascia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Gensingen, Germany in May, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Diascia plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Gensingen, Germany since May, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Diascia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Diascia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Indiaimpab’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Indiaimpab’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Diascia:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Soft pink-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Diascia can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Pendan’. Plants of the new Diascia differ from plants of ‘Pendan’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Diascia are more compact than plants of         ‘Pendan’.     -   2. Plants of the new Diascia are more freely branching and         bushier than plants of ‘Pendan’.     -   3. Plants of the new Diascia and ‘Pendan’ differ in flower color         as plants of ‘Pendan’ have darker pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Diascia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Diascia differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Diascia flower earlier than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Diascia and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have apricot-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Diascia can be compared to plants of the Diascia barberae ‘Diastara’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,782. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Diascia differed from plants of ‘Diastara’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Diascia were compact, denser and fuller         than plants of ‘Diastara’.     -   2. Plants of the new Diascia flowered more consistently under         high temperature conditions than plants of ‘Diastara’.

Plants of the new Diascia can also be compared to plants of the Diascia barberae ‘Diastu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,949. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Diascia differed from plants of ‘Diastu’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Diascia were compact, denser and fuller         than plants of ‘Diastu’.     -   2. Plants of the new Diascia were more mounding than plants of         ‘Diastu’.     -   3. Plants of the new Diascia had lighter pink-colored flowers         than plants of ‘Diastu’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Diascia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Diascia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Indiaimpab’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers, flower buds and leaves of ‘Indiaimpab’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif. in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery during the summer and early fall under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 38° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 24° C. Plants had been growing for seven weeks when the photographs and description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Diascia barberae ‘Indiaimpab’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Diascia barberae ‘Pendan’, not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Diascia             barberae identified as code number D 04 14-3, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at 24° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About eight to nine days at             21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 28 days             at 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 30 days             at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant             habit; vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; dense and bushy             growth habit; about twelve primary lateral branches each             with potentially two secondary laterals developing at every             node.         -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 36 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 16.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 145A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 2 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical to cordate.         -   Apex.—Acute, cuspidate.         -   Base.—Slightly cordate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137C.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 147C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 138A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single flowers arranged on terminal             racemes; flowers zygomorphic with five lobes fused at the             base and twin-spurred. Freely flowering habit with usually             about 32 to 34 open flowers and flower buds per raceme.             Flowers face upright and outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower freely and             continuously from the spring into the fall in Southern             California.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about two to three days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 6.7 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower height.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 9 mm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Shape:             Round to oval. Color: Close to 186A to 186B.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Corolla consists of five petals             modified into two banner petals, two lateral petals with             spurs and a protruding lower lip petal. Banner lobe length:             About 4 mm. Banner lobe width: About 5 mm. Lateral lobe             length: About 6 mm. Lateral lobe width: About 7 mm. Lower             lobe length: About 9 mm. Lower lobe width: About 1.2 cm.             Banner, lateral and lower lobe shape: Orbicular, rounded.             Banner, lateral and lower lobe apex: Rounded. Banner,             lateral and lower lobe margin: Entire. Banner, lateral and             lower lobe texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety. Spur length: About 4 mm. Spur diameter:             About 2 mm. Spur orientation: Curved downward. Color, banner             petals: When opening, upper surface: Close to 69B. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 186B to 186C. Fully             developed, upper surface: Close to 69B to 69C; color             becoming closer to 76D with development; towards the base of             the banner lobes, eyespot, close to 13B. Fully developed,             lower surface: Close to 75C to 75D. Corolla tube, inside:             Close to 60C to 60D. Color, lateral petals: When opening,             upper surface: Close to 69B. When opening, lower surface:             Close to 186B to 186C. Fully developed, upper surface: Close             to 69B to 69C; color becoming closer to 76D with             development; towards the base of the lateral lobes, small             spots, close to 64B. Fully developed, lower surface: Close             to 75A; color becoming closer to N77D with development;             spurs, close to N77D. Color, lower petal: When opening,             upper surface: Close to 69B. When opening, lower surface:             Close to 186B to 186C. Fully developed, upper surface: Close             to 69B to 69C; color becoming closer to 76D with             development. Fully developed, lower surface: Close to 69C.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five sepals fused into a star-shaped             calyx. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape:             Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number per flower:             About four. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color:             Close to 186C. Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther length: About             1 mm. Anther color: Close to 10A. Amount of pollen: Scarce.             Pollen color: Close to 10A. Gynoecium: Pistil number per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Style length: About             1 mm. Style color: Close to 145A. Stigma color: Close to             151B. Ovary color: Close to 144B.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Diascia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 12° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Diascia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Diascia. 

1. A new and distinct Diascia plant named ‘Indiaimpab’ as illustrated and described. 